People have been asking about some early favorites for the league title. I personally think the league is going to be up overall and could be a wide open race.
As for the top three teams right now, I would probably go SMCC, Riverview, Milan. Flat Rock, Huron and Airport are wild cards though.
I think SMCC could be really good. That victory over Milan and a close loss to P-W last season showed the ability.
Riverview has talent and work ethic, they just need to put it all together an avoid the injury bug.
I never count out Milan. They are too well coached and obviously have talent back even though they graduated a bunch of seniors.
Flat Rock should have their best team in years and have been working hard in the off season. I like their coaching staff too. Only time will tell if the wins come.
Huron has talent. Much will depend on the new coaching staff and how they mesh with a new program. If they can get positive team chemistry, they should be pretty good.
Airport is an unknown. The talent seems to be there, but they probably need to stay out of their own way. First year varsity head coaches have a tendency to struggle, but if they give him breathing room he should be alright.
Grosse Ile lost a ton of players, but they always get good coaching so, who knows?
Jefferson has some talent back and a new coach, but the lost some very very good football players.
It should be a fun season on the field and here at Friday Night Victors with the new format. We promise you won’t be disappointed.
Anonymous,
There is a great chance that SMCC could challenge for a league title and state championship, but if they drop to division 7 they will run into Detroit Loyola either in the district finals or regionals. Although Loyola lost their coach, their talented QB, and most of their 300+ linemen last year, they seem to have no problem reloading with their talent, especially in the trenches. Loyola returns arguably one of the top power running backs in the state in D'Anthony Robinson. His yards after contact is off the charts. My point is that Loyola will be a major hurdle for SMCC early in the playoffs. If they manage to beat them, then SMCC should reach the finals.
If SMCC reaches the finals, it could end up being a rematch of their first game of this year's season between SMCC and Pewamo-Westphalia or a rematch from the 2014 semi-finals with Northpointe Christian. Even though PW loses 16-18 of their starters, they have a chance to be really good each year due to their coaching, their system and their numbers (around 70 varsity players). However PW plays in a very weak conference so they are not challenged. Northpointe Christian returns 16 starters, including a stellar line and a RB/LB who is being recruited mainly at the D-2 level. Like SMCC, NPC plays in a tough conference of D-4 and D-5 schools, where 4 teams went to the playoffs last year so they will be just as battle-tested as SMCC.
1) Smcc challenging for league title and a state championship.
2) Milan will contend with Smcc.
3) View should have a change as well.
4) Huron has new coach and new system. Let's see what happens..
5) Flat Rock probably one of there best teams in a while. Do they know how to win close games.
6) Airport could be a surprise team this year. Don't sleep on them.
7) Jefferson don't see them doing to much lost all there best players..
8) GI same boat as the Bears.. lost to many player..
That Huron team that made the Semi finals had an outstanding offensive line and defensive line. The QB didn't do it all.
If Spiess ends Huron's league title drought in his first year, that'll be somethin
If you know the kid or the situation, he'd tell you otherwise. He didn't want to leave Milan. The dad made him leave because he wasn't gonna start at QB over the Kanitz kid as a sophomore at QB. That's actually from the kid himself. He didn't want to leave Milan.
SMCC alum. That kid wasn't a transfer, he moved. Big difference. Also, what did they do the following year with him.
Was happy that a Huron league team made the semis as Huron did. An honest question though… Would they have made it that far without the transfer from Milan who played QB? Just an honest question especially with all the athletically motivated transfers. Not sure they would of made the playoffs without him that year. And we beat them that year btw.
SMCC Alum
However, they didn't win the league.
Thank you. And I do not disagree !!!
Huron will never win league or anything ever in football. Just a few short years ago they won league, districts and went to State Semi Finals!
Post without the cursing and I'll let it go.
Milan and SMCC are going to be VERY good. Don't see a drop off in Milan at all & CC is solid all around. Don't really know what to think of Huron, their offense was awful last year which Spiess will have to fix. Flat Rock's defense got shredded by 3 decent "T" teams last season(Jefferson, Riverview, SMCC) so they have to figure that out. I think it's only a two team race between Milan & CC for the title. Don't see it at all with FR & Huron this season in terms of being elite teams.
Smcc needs passing game? Is that a joke? Have you ever watch them play!! Lmao!!
How will the T teams play this year is a good question. CC could be state champs by next winter, Jefferson will know weather or not last year was a fluke, Riverview will know if the offense is actually what they should be running, I will know if the rumors of Huron running the T are true (and if they are than holy growing pains from spread to T),and Airport (I'm counting the wing t in here yes) will know that what happened in JV doesnt equate to Varsity (Just ask Riverview for the bad last year, Juniors on last years team went from 7-2 to 2-7, and CC for better because i dont think those juniors won a game 2nd JV year). By the way, can we all agree the league isnt down this year?!?
View hopeful
Has cc really ever had a passing game. They have won the league a few times over the last 50 years.
1.Huron adds a very nice hire & two great skill players. Adding a QB & a RB/WR is big. They win this league.
2.Milan has both good off & def lines, also coaching. Plus having a lineman committed to Wisconsin doesn't hurt.
3.SMCC returns key players & great tradition. Need a better pass game to win league.
1. Milan- Offense and Defensive lines win championships and having the best coach in the league doesn't hurt.
2. SMCC- Good program will rebound from down year last year.
3. Riverview- 2nd year in T. Coach's will have team ready to compete.
4. Huron- No offensive and defensive line size. Plenty of skilled players. Team chemistry could be a problem.
5. Flat Rock- Coach has team heading in the right direction. Some good talent on team.
6. GI- Lost a lot of talent. 2nd best coach in league will get everything out of the boy's they have.
7. Airport- Will parent stay out of the coach's way.
8. Jefferson- Will struggle with out there running back from last year that carried them.
The Pirates will plant a couple tomatoes…in a timely manner.
Jefferson's "new" coach has been coaching there for over 10 years and most recently as the right hand man to Pickens, he doesn't have to integrate whatsoever. It will be the smoothest transition in the head coach department
I don't see that happening. Kipf does a nice job in my opinion. The league appears to be pretty balanced lately. The killer non-league schedule doesn't always help. I would say the victory over last years co-champs Milan was a pretty nice win. CC's season will get a big boost if they can beat PW in week 1. Right now I see them going 7-2 or 6-3 and making a solid run in the playoffs. We are a long way off from that right now though.
That's a good question anonymous maybe the 2 yahoos( lol) that run the blog can shed some light on this.. sorry Chris and Gary..
If SMCC doesn't make a run his year….. Is the coach out? Jack left the guy with one of the most talented teams in the last 30 years and they lost in the district to a very good Clinton team. In year two they lose to Jefferson and a very average Huron team to miss the playoffs….. What happens this season if they don't make it? . Making it in is huge for SMCC, cus a d-6-7 playoff birth for them means at least a semi-final appearance. The league this year is gonna be better than people think and that might prevent that for SMCC. Is the coach out if he doesn't make the playoffs???
1. Smcc is talented and ready to make another run to a state title.
2. Milan will challenge Smcc for league title.
3. Huron has the talent to win the title.
4. Riverview will make some noise and maybe upset Smcc or Milan this year.
5. Flat Rock capable of beating and losing to anybody.
6. Airport should be better and win some close games.
7. Jefferson will play Smcc tough that's about it for them this year
8. GI don't see them doing much lost to many players..
Jefferson #2……. Not so sure about that one. Without Humphries, they go 1-8 last year beating Owosso.
Milan and Smcc will challenge for league title.. Huron, Riverview, Flat Rock, airport , Jefferson and GI in that order..
8.Jefferson- New coach, with an OK team usually doesnt equal good year.
7.Riverview- It seems like they get good players from the lower levels every year, Im not sure why it doesnt ever seem to translate on Varsity.
6.Huron- We will see. They have a decent team but new coaches and schemes usually struggleespecially year one. They have the talent to be a playoff team can they pull off a few upsets? We shall see.
5.Flat Rock- I just dont see it, they have the talent but just cant seem to win. They started to turn that corner last year. Maybe they can take advantage of the coaching changes and maybe get an upset or two?
4.Airport- They have a very good team. New coach issues but there is enough talent there to pull out some wins. Lets see if the parents can leave Jimbo alone.
3.GI- They have a very good group of players returning and coming up from JV, will they be as good as last year after losing all those seniors? No chance, but they will be good. I think they will win 6 or 7 depending how they do at the kick off classic. Just like Im taking wins for new coaches Im expecting wins from the longest tenured coach.
2.Milan- Furtney and a crew of returners. Enough said. I think the loss of Trace and Barnes will be a lot more then others seem to believe. They were a special tandem the HL doesnt see often. Prob lose to CC again, and maybe one of those shoot outs without the freaks in the backfield to save them.
1.SMCC- They figured it out last year. Basically the same team coming back so logic says they will be better this year. Lets see if logic is correct.
Too bad my son has just graduated from a league school but here is my predictions based on what I saw over the last 4 years:
1: Milan. has best coach in the league and has some dangerous skilled players coming back
2: Jefferson. Most underrated team in the league! They were way better than their record showed last year. Should have beaten Milan twice!
3: Huron. has biggest and most talented program, if their new coach is as good as everyone says, then they could beat the top 2
4: SMCC. I see them going 4-5 or 5-4 at best. I noticed talented younger players & smaller roster than usual.
5: Flat Rock. This is the last chance for awhile to have a unforgettable season. If everyone stays healthy, I see them going 5-4 with a major upset of SMCC or Jefferson
6: Airport. This is the darkhorse of the HUron League. Jimmy will have them more disciplined. Alot of talent in the backfield. Need to beat Dundee week 1 and Grosse Ile to kick start a good season.
7: Grosse Ile. I see a down year for GI but returning better in 2018
8: Riverview. I was not impressed with them on JV or varsity.
GI has won 4 outright league titles.
Truest part of all that is im a Yahoo.
Because I was challenged, I will let it slide. Glad he was straight and real with us.
I have to preface this with I'm pretty sure the yahoos that run this blog won't post anything that is completely real. I am going to give this to you people straight though. Make all the predictions you would like…there are two programs in the Huron League. SMCC and Milan period…Sure they have down seasons here and there but they are the Huron League. SMCC always has talent…it doesn't matter if the young coach gets in the way or not. Milans coach is the shat and will continue to dominate as long as he has a running back and QB worth anything.Huron is over-rated and has never won anything in football and will never ever win the huron league. Level Pebble has been down for the better part of 35 years and is only a few years removed from people clamoring on hear that the Rams needed to leave the huron league. i can't believe Chris continues to pick elevate them so much…..wait….yes i can…he went to Flat Rock and lives in huron…makes sense don't ya think? Airport has thrown together back to back 1-8 seasons and only redmond coming back would give them a remote chance of going 500…..the jets are destined for their miserable existence that they had in football for the 45 years prior to redmond shwing up. Riverview really hasn't had a quality team since Doc roamed the sidelines…..they have some of the best talent year in and year out but they have produced squat since the legend was fired. Jeffersons best years are behind them….sure they will work hard but not much there these days…..its been a long time since that state title beach rats. Not even sure what to say about the richies floating on the river….have they ever won an outright league title? Like i said…this won't get by the filter but what is new.
Flat rock will have to learn how to win a big game. They haven't one a big game in a long time. GI is gonna have a rough time this season. To lose that many good players on a 25 man roster would be rough on any team. Not just good players, but 3-4 year starters is hard for a team with low numbers. The Huron coach is really good and will have as much talent as anyone. Riverview will also have great talent. The coaching is very questionable.
11:25,
Windham or Burger couldn't get to the edge all that well and those 2 combined for 21-3 record their senior years. It helps if the QB has speed but it's not a necessity.
1.Milan-Best O & D Line in the league. Just know how to win.
2.Flat Rock- Loaded on offense & is their year.
3.SMCC- Good team, but ready for next step up?
4.GI- Very underrated, return some good players.
5.Huron- Don't see it from a league title standpoint.
6.Riverview- Hard to make a big leap from going 2-7.
7.Jefferson-Lost some nice kids plus head coach.
8.Airport- Can't see a big improvement from 1-8.
Does Jefferson have ANY solid players coming back
If Smcc has a QB that can get to the edge this year they will be dangerous and make a long playoff run..
Should be an interesting race. I think there will be a bunch of close games. Milan didn't lose very much as far as seniors truth be told. Only 4 seniors who started total from last years team. Return 7 on one side and 8 on the other. Losing guys like Barnes and Lindemin is hard just because they were such special players, but some nice young pieces and returning all your guys on the O and D lines is always a good thing. Can't wait to see how they compete against Chelsea in Week 1.
Milan Fan